The AFC/M23 movement announced on Tuesday, August 19, that its representative would travel to Doha, Qatar, to assess “practical arrangements” for provisions of the declaration of principles signed on July 19 with the Congolese government. ALSO READ: DR Congo: Calls to return to Doha talks amid reports of hostilities Kinshasa also sent its delegation to Doha on Tuesday, according to media reports. The two parties' representatives were expected to sign a peace deal on Monday in the Qatari capital, but the deadline passed without the anticipated signing. Although reports say the Qatari government has shared a draft peace agreement with the Congolese government and the AFC/M23 rebels, no mention of a signing ceremony on Tuesday has been made by either party. “As part of the implementation of the declaration of principles of July 19, a technical team will travel to Doha to examine the practical arrangements for the application of the ceasefire and the release of prisoners in accordance with the said declaration,” Bertrand Bisimwa, the AFC/M23 Deputy Coordinator, wrote in a post on Monday night. ALSO READ: M23 issues alert about 'offensive manoeuvres' by DR Congo army Bisimwa’s remarks were made in an X post, quoting an earlier statement by the movement’s spokesperson, Lawrence Kanyuka, who stressed that the resumption of the Qatar-mediated talks would depend on the concrete implementation of the July 19 commitments. “Only the full implementation of the Declaration of Principles will enable the next round of talks to proceed, which should be based on the root causes of the conflict, Kanyuka said on Sunday, August 17, adding the rebel movement was still committed to the peace talks. Only in this framework alone will these root causes be addressed, thereby paving the way for a comprehensive and lasting peace agreement. ALSO READ: AFC/M23 leader Corneille Nangaa states four reasons why his movement is fighting Tshisekedi govt Despite ongoing mediation efforts, concerns persist over violations of the agreed principles. Reports have pointed to violations of the agreed ceasefire, casting doubt on the fragile progress of the peace process. The rebels accused the government coalition of deploying military forces and equipment to new fronts along the axes of Kindu-Shabunda, Kinshasa-Bujumbura, Kisangani-Walikale, and Kalemie-Uvira. “These deployments, which deliberately violate the ceasefire yet again, demonstrate a clear escalation strategy,” Kanyuka said in a statement on August 11. Following the recent reports of clashes in North Kivu province, Massad Boulos, US President Donald Trump’s special adviser who attended the Doha talks as an observer, cautioned against a return to hostilities. “The United States condemns the renewed violence reported today in eastern DRC and calls for all parties to respect the ceasefire,” Boulos wrote in a post on X on August 15. “We need cooperation and strong leadership to ensure the robust and successful implementation of the Peace Agreement. Violence undermines progress towards peace and prosperity.”
